That night, the small private room of a barbecue restaurant near Yanjing University was unusually lively.
Grease sizzled on the grill, beer bottles clinked, and the smell of cumin and chili filled the air.
Dorm 403 was finally complete again.
Zhao Dawei sat at the head of the table, sleeves rolled up, already three skewers in. Second Brother Chen Rui adjusted his glasses while scrolling through job offers on his phone, and Third Brother Wang Hao leaned back lazily, looking like a man who had already accepted the fate of becoming a corporate cog.
Lu Xingye watched them quietly for a moment.
Four years.
They had shared instant noodles at midnight, cursed deadlines together, and slept through more lectures than they could count.
And tonight—
He was about to pull them onto a completely different path.
"Alright," Zhao Dawei wiped his mouth and raised his beer. "Now explain yourself."
"Explain what?" Lu Xingye smiled.
"You said you have thirty million yuan," Chen Rui said calmly, pushing his glasses up. "That's not a joke-level number."
Wang Hao snorted. "If this is a prank, I'll personally uninstall your system tonight."
Lu Xingye didn't rush.
He took out his phone, unlocked it, and casually placed it in the middle of the table.
The bank balance screen was still open.
The numbers were clear.
Thirty million.
Plus change.
The private room fell silent.
The sizzling sound from the grill suddenly felt very loud.
"…Holy crap."
Zhao Dawei leaned forward, eyes wide. "Is this Photoshopped?"
Chen Rui stared for three full seconds, then slowly said, "This is a real banking interface."
Wang Hao sat up straight. "Explain. Now."
Lu Xingye finally spoke.
He didn't embellish.
He talked about the ransomware outbreak, the specialized antivirus software, the negotiation with 360, and the thirty-million-yuan deal.
From start to finish, calm and precise.
When he finished, no one spoke for a while.
Then—
Zhao Dawei slapped the table.
"Damn it! You sold software to 360 behind our backs?!"
"That's not the point," Chen Rui said slowly, eyes shining. "The point is… you negotiated with Zhou Hongwei and won."
Wang Hao exhaled deeply. "We thought you were messing around with small projects. Turns out you were quietly stabbing giants."
Lu Xingye raised his beer.
"I didn't call you here to show off," he said seriously. "I'm calling you because I want to start a company."
"A real company."
"No piracy. No gray zones. No shortcuts."
"And I need people I trust."
The room grew quiet again.
This time, it wasn't shock.
It was weight.
Chen Rui spoke first. "What direction?"
"Security," Lu Xingye replied without hesitation. "But not just antivirus."
"Data protection. System-level defense. Future-facing security."
"Eventually—platform-level control."
Wang Hao narrowed his eyes. "That's a battlefield full of giants."
"Yes," Lu Xingye nodded. "That's why it's worth fighting."
Zhao Dawei scratched his head. "And your goal?"
Lu Xingye paused for a second.
Then he smiled.
"To build a company."
"To dominate a field."
"And to become the richest man in the world as fast as possible."
There was no exaggeration in his tone.
No excitement.
Just certainty.
The three of them looked at each other.
Then Zhao Dawei laughed.
"Alright," he said, lifting his beer. "I don't know if you'll become the richest man in the world."
"But I do know one thing."
"If I don't follow you now, I'll regret it for the rest of my life."
Chen Rui nodded. "Same."
Wang Hao grinned. "Worst case, we fail together."
Four beer bottles clinked together.
That sound—
Was the real beginning.
Late at night, back in his dorm, Lu Xingye lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
The campus was quiet.
But his mind wasn't.
J.A.R.V.I.S.
A soft, familiar voice sounded in his ear.
"Company formation probability: extremely high."
"Team compatibility: excellent."
"Next recommended action: company registration and strategic positioning."
Lu Xingye's left hand slowly clenched.
The circular tattoo on the back of his hand was dull gray now, its energy spent—but faintly, steadily, it began to darken again.
Charge was returning.
"Prepare a roadmap," Lu Xingye said softly.
"Short-term survival. Mid-term expansion. Long-term monopoly."
"Acknowledged."
Outside the window, the lights of Yanjing flickered like stars.
From a student dormitory—
A future giant had just taken its first breath.